Oct. 5, 2019: St. Maria Faustina Kowalska
Oct. 5, 2019: St. Maria Faustina Kowalska
It began on February 22, 1931. Sister Faustina, who at that time had been in the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy for six years, had lived for nearly a year in their convent in Płock. It was the First Sunday of Lent. 1 It was evening. Faustina had just returned to her cell. Earlier, she had eaten supper and said her prayers in the convent chapel. She was preparing for bed. Suddenly, she saw Jesus in her cell. “One hand [was] raised in the gesture of blessing, the other was touching the garment at the breast. From beneath the garment, slightly drawn aside at the breast, there were emanating two large rays, one red, the other pale. In silence I kept my gaze fixed on the Lord; my soul was struck with awe, but also with great joy. After a while, Jesus said to me, Paint an image according to the pattern you see, with the signature: Jesus, I trust in You. I desire that this image be venerated, first in your chapel, and [then] throughout the world. I promise that the soul that will venerate this image will not perish. I also promise victory over [its] enemies already here on earth, especially at the hour of death. I Myself will defend it as My own glory” (Diary, 47-48).
“Sisters who were passing the building at that moment saw a light in the window, brighter than that of an oil lamp,” says Sr. Clavera Wolska, 2 who was then the Superior of the Płock convent, repeating what has survived in the oral tradition of the sisters. The encounter in her cell was no illusion. Sister Faustina was sure of this. She had seen the Lord a few times before. He had spoken to her before she joined the Congregation, urging her to take that step, and also during her time of formation in the convent as she progressed on the path of the mystical life. After the purification of her senses and spirit during her dark night of the soul, Faustina came to know about God’s essence and experience a union of love with Him in the increasingly sudden moments of light that He granted to her soul. For Faustina, who previously knew nothing of the twists and turns of the mystical life, these experiences were as remarkable as they were difficult. As long, however, as everything was taking place inside her soul and applied solely to herself, it was the joy of her heart. However, that Sunday, February 22, 1931, everything changed. That day, Jesus entrusted her with the mission of proclaiming the message of Divine Mercy to the whole world. Painting the image was the first part of this mission. Four years later, Jesus would tell Faustina that her task was to prepare the world for His final coming.
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Giving in to thoughts of fear
Diary St. Faustina 881 (252) January 14, 1937.
Today, Jesus entered my room wearing a bright robe and girded with a golden belt, His whole figure resplendent with great majesty. He said,
"My daughter, why are you giving in to thoughts of fear?"
I answered, “O Lord, You know why.”
And He said, "Why?"
“This work frightens me. You know that I am incapable of carrying it out.”
And He said, "Why?"
“You see very well that I am not in good health, that I have no education, that I have no money, that I am an abyss of misery, that I fear contacts with people. Jesus, I desire only You. You can release me from this.”
And the Lord said to me,
"My daughter, what you have said is true. You are very miserable, and it pleased Me to carry out this work of mercy precisely through you who are nothing but misery itself. Do not fear; I will not leave you alone. Do whatever you can in this matter; I will accomplish everything that is lacking in you. You know what is within your power to do; do that."
The Lord looked into the depth of my being with great kindness; I thought I would die for joy under that gaze. The Lord disappeared, and joy, (253) strength and power to act remained in my soul. But I was surprised that the Lord did not want to release me and that He is not changing anything He has once said. And despite all these joys, there is always a shadow of sorrow. I see that love and sorrow go hand in hand.
